You found some secret document John?

That must have been exciting, breaking into secret vaults in the dead of night and beating all our security, both electronic and canine assisted patrols?

Did they fall off the back of a truck John, or did your polonium producing mates in the Kremlin produce some realistic forgeries for you to make entirely vexatious mischief with in order to simply delay the development of the significant new horison oil and gas fields?

I mean we all "see" where your real loyalties lay, and just how much the depressed oil prices are hurting oil revenue dependant Russia economically; and who needs to see a brand new oil and gas fields opened up like a hole in the head!

Keep stirring john, who knows you might even succeed in convincing someone, someday somewhere?

Maybe your very special friend, Mr (pot of gold at the end of the rainbow) Putin?
Rhrosty.

Rhrosty, he may have a point, but I find I treat what I read with a healthy degree of scepticism. Especially when the way it is written targets the emotional strings.

Emotions are not facts.

Rhosty, good to see that when you can't attack what the author has written you are happy to attack the author instead.

My apologies, Rhrosty, my spelling of your name in my original post was incorrect.

WollyB, Pilger has developed a terrible reputation that must surely make propaganda promulgating Putin Puke?

He is one of those who defend Assange, gloss over his patent criminality or complete lack of verification, normal in accurate investigative journalism, and generally done, with one or two notable exceptions, to sensationalise the ordinary or mundane.

Simply put East Timour needs an agreement they can live with, on the table!

And even in spite of the unproven allegations of spying, they had one and could've earned some money when higher oil prices could have meant more lucrative cash flow contracts.

Simply put, we had a marine boundary, and the spy allegations, whether true or just so much mischief; have been used as an oh so convenient vehicle to change an agreed legal contract!

It may be inconvenient, but our continental shelf is part of Australia, regardless of wherever it ends, ditto for every other nation on the planet!

Lower the water level by around 200 feet and it all becomes dry land and an integral part of Australia!

And the natural canyon, between us and East Timor, the natural geological boundary.

Allowing something like the seizure of of part of our continental shelf, which is just as much apart of Australia, as a geologically connected Great Barrier Reef, would create a precedent with all sorts of ramifications pertaining to places like a disputed southern China marine environment, Alaska and Siberia and Lord know where?

And simply cannot be contemplated!

But then what would you expect of an activist like Pilger, he was completely content when Russia annexed the Crimea, and ostensibly to seize her oil and gas reserves?

I'd sooner split the royalties we earn from our new horizon prospect, right down the middle, rather than create a precedent that can change pre existing international boundaries!
Rhrosty.

@Rhrosty. You obviously do not like John Pilger, but that should not be an excuse for coming up with your own set of "facts" to justify your position.

One simple fact you overlook. When there is a stretch of water between two nations, as with the Timor Sea between Australia and East Timor, international law requires that the boundary be drawn at the median point between the two nations. Your blather about continental shelves etc is pure nonsense.

Fact 2. The East Timor cabinet room was bugged on the orders of Alexander Downer. He later became a director of Woodside Petroleum that benefited from the oil and gas exploitation contracts.

Fact 3. Australia simply refused to negotiate under the terms of the UNCLOS and has throughout bullied East Timor.

Fact 4. Australia has a very poor record in its dealings with East Timor's position, including turning a blind eye to Suharto's murderous regime and its "cleansing" of Timorese dissidents.

Not for the first (and no doubt last) time Australia has adopted positions that disregard its obligations under international law, the attack on Syria merely being the latest in a long line.

If you were less obsessed in blaming Putin for all the ills of the world you might like to actually learn the facts regarding Crimea as well, but clearly for you opinions and prejudices trump facts every time.